The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-07-14
A,iAhont Chineh Rura.

tlclO III ICldL1OH W euO OA1AOA OuS 1AANA
the best known methods of guarding
against its Expectations:
The Chineh bug is perhaps the most
difficult insect to fight in the whole
range of economic entomology, and
there are really no new and improved
methods of encompassing its destruc-
ton. Where the insect occurs upon
small grain there is no present remedy.
but when 1t migrates from small grain
to corn it may be attacked with con-
siderable success. Some five years ago
Prof. S. A. Forbes, at my suggestion,
conducted certain experiments upon
the effect of a kerosene emulsion upon
the Chinch bug and found that it was
very effective. 1t will be well, there
fore, at the time the migration from
small grain to corn occurs to spray the
migrating bugs with such an emulsion
of kerosene, and enormous numbers
can be killed in this way. The plan OF
blowing a single deep furroW around
the field about to be attacked has been
practiSed with some success. The fur
row should be made with the perpen-
dicuiar side towards the corn field and
the earth should be kept friable by oc-
casionally dragging a log through the
furrow. OF late years it has been
found that the bugs are especially fond
OI anu q pan AoSo OOOn CNS
geSted of planting row or two OF SOr-
ghum around the corn, and as the bugs
collect upon the sorghum they can be
killed by the kerosene spray. After
all, however, the best means that can
be employed against this insect are
the preventive methods and these
consist in the main of clean cultivation
and collecting and burning of
all the rubbish during the
u of CTERIs
uncultivated gullies and fence corners
as may occur upon the farm. The
bugs hibernate in the winter in the
perfect state under rubbish of all kinds,
and hence the necessity of this cleaning
I'D work. Where this is done the farm
er will not be troubled to any great eX-
tent with the bugs except 10y the flying
in of the winged individuals from adj
joining and more carelessly cultivated
farms. Observation has taught that
wet weather is very unfaVorable TO the
increase of the bug, and that when
present in enormous numbers 1T will be
speedily destroyed by several success
sive hard showers. Hence the very
good remedy of irrigation has been sug-
pested by us, but of course the locali-
ties where this can be practiced are
few and far between. Another rem
edy which promises some practical re-
suits is the sowing of a border of spring
wheat around field of winter wheat.
The bugs will collect in the spring
wheat as soon as it has come up well,
and can then be destroyed by spraying
with kerosene. Rotation of crops is
another good preventive, and diVersi-
fed farming brings about the greatest
immunity from this insect. The fol-
lowing conclusions of the late Mi. Lee
Baron are very much to the point:
l. That it is useless to attempt to
raise spring wheat or barley where
chinch-bugs have been present in any
considerable numbers the preceding
wear, unless we have reason to believe
that they have been killed off by heavy
rains.
2. That in case the season should be
| favorable to the propagation of the
chinch bug, we always have it in ouI
| power to get rid of these pests by the
abandonment of these two kinds OF
grain for one or two years. But to
make this course effective, there must
be concert of action by farmers over a
considerable section of country.
3. That the presence of chinch bugs
the preceding year will not prevent the
raising of corn OF any of the winter
4. With regard to oats, the testi-
mOny thus far is that if the grain be
sown where chinch bugs abound, and
especially if it is sown exclusively, it
will be damaged to greater or less ex-
| tent the first year, but that the bugs
probably will not continue to breed IN
| it to any great extent in succeeding
years.
The following reorganization of the
more important facts relating to the
life history of the bug, is from my
Seventh Report on the Insects of Mis-
| souri:''
1.-The clinch bug Injuries by suction,
not biting. 1t winters in the perfect
winged state, mostly dormant, princi-
pally in the old rubbish, such as dead
| leaves, cOrn-ShuckS, corn-StalkS, and
| under weeds and PROSTATE fence rails
and boards that generally surround
grain fields; also in whatever other
| sheltered situation it can get in adj
| jacent woods; hence the Importance of
| lighting the pest in winter time, either
by trapping it under boards laid
for the purpose, or by
burning it with its afore-
mentioned shelter. Such burning will
not destroy all the dormant hosts, but
will practically render the species
harmless, especially where whole COM
munities combine to practice it. 1t
issues from its winter quarters during
| the first balmy days of spring, when
those females which were impregnated
the previous fall, and which are most
apt to survive the winter, commence
! oVipositing at once if suitable condi-
| lions are at hand. Others take readily
| to wings and scatter over our fields,
attached by preference to grain growing
in loose and dry soil into which they
penetrate to consign their eggs. The
eggs are deposited on the roots and the
Young bugs, which are red, remain
under ground, sucking the roots dur
ing the early part of their lives, OF
until they are forced from necessity to
travel from one plant to another.
These spring Matched bugs, constituting
the first brood, do not, as a rule,
acquire wings till after wheat is cut.
1t is, therefore, during and just after
wheat harvest, that they cOngregate
and travel in such immense swarms as
to attract attention. In July aS these
acquire wings they scatter over the
grass, late grain and cOrnfields where
they lay their eggs; but the second
brood, Matching from these eggs, gen.
orally attracts less attention and does
less injury than did the first, because
of its more scattered nature and the
greater maturity and resisting power
of the plants. Anything that will
prevent the mother bug from gathering
at the roots of the grain, will
prevent the injury of her progeny
hence the Importance in this connect
ion of fall blowing and using the roller
upon land that is loose and friable; and
hence, if old corn ground is sufficiently
clean, it is good plan to harrow in a
crop of small grain upon it without
blowing at all. The earlier also that
wheat gets well started and natures,
the less it will suffer; because it may be
harvested before the bugs acquire their
greatest growth and power for harm;
hence, and from the greater compact
ness of the ground, winter wheat suf-
fers less than spring wheat. Heavy
rains are destructive to the chinch bug;
hence, if such occur in the fall, the
farmer may plant with little fear of in
jury the following year, while if they Oc-
cur in May, he need suffer no anxiety
so far as chinch bugs are concerned;
hence, also, where irrigation is practi-
cable, the pest may at all times be over
come. 1t Injuries no other plants than
grasses and cereals. In its migrationS
from fioId fn field If may ha fsb0oIyad hv